DNA polymerases are enzymes that use single-stranded DNA as a template to synthesize the complementary DNA strand. In particular, DNA polymerases can add free nucleotides to the 3′ end of a newly-forming strand resulting in elongation of the new strand in a 5′-3′ direction. Some DNA polymerases can correct mistakes in newly-synthesized DNA. This process is known as error correction. These polymerases can recognize an incorrectly incorporated nucleotide and the 3′->5′ exonuclease activity of the enzyme allows the incorrect nucleotide to be excised (this activity is known as proofreading). Following base excision, the polymerase can re-insert the correct base and replication can continue. The proofreading function gives the DNA replication much higher fidelity than it would have if synthesis were the result of only a base-pairing selection step. Brutlag, D. and Kornberg, A., J. Biol. Chem., 247:241-248 (1972). DNA polymerases with 3′-5′ proofreading exonuclease activity have a substantially lower error rate when compared with a non-proofreading exonuclease-possessing polymerase. Chang, L. M. S., J. Biol. Chem., 252:1873-1880 (1977). However, sometimes, the advantage of these polymerases is offset by its relatively low processivity that reduces the yield of DNA amplification products.
The present specification makes reference to a Sequence Listing (submitted electronically as a .txt file named “Sequence Listing.txt” on May 3, 2011). The .txt file was generated on Nov. 12, 2013 and is 235 kb in size. The entire contents of the Sequence Listing are herein incorporated by reference.